The case
On Jun 22, 1930, Anne’s 24th birthday, the Lindberghs welcomed their first child, a son they named Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr., or "Charlie." Almost immediately requests for photographs came in from the press and admiration flowed from the public. During this time, the Lindberghs were building a house in a remote area near the town of Hopewell, New Jersey.
On the night of Mar 1, 1932, the baby was stolen from his crib in a second-floor bedroom, while both Lindberghs and several staff were elsewhere in the house. A ransom note, a broken ladder propped against the outside wall, and other clues were discovered. The Hopewell house was turned into the headquarters of a police investigation, and over the next few weeks numerous letters and tips poured in.
Through go-betweens, the Lindberghs paid $50,000 in ransom to a man claiming to have information about the baby. When Lindbergh went to where the baby was said to be held, it turned out to be a hoax.
Ten weeks after the kidnapping, on May 12, the body of a toddler was found partially buried in the woods near the Lindbergh home. Charles Lindbergh identified the body as that of his son, who had apparently died the night he was taken.